The Dark Trio and The Philosopher’s Stone BOOK ONE OF SEVEN
by Emmene-moi
Summary: One boy shackled his whole life. One boy ignored by the rest. A girl hurt by those who think her weird. Ridiculous expectations are set for them at Hogwarts. But what if Harry, Ron and Hermione are Sorted into Slytherin? NO PAIRINGS YET. Rated T cause I’m paranoid.
1. -The-One-In-Which-They’re-Introduced-

**_Disclaimer: _**

**_Everyone! Quickly grab your Harry before—!!_**

_"Mam! Rowling took em all!"_

**_"'Cause they're mine! Only I own them!"_**

***random child cries***

**_Joanne..._**

**_*_**

**_BOOK ONE_**

**_*_**

**_-The One In Which Our Characters Are Introduced-_**

**_*_**

On the quiet street of Privet Drive lived the Dursley family of Number Four.

There was Petunia, Vernon and Dudley. They loved to think themselves as normal, thank you very much.

But if you looked past all the happy photos of a jolly family, you'd realise that there was a fourth person living there. But not where you'd ever suspect a person to be forced to sleep in.

The cupboard under the stairs.

Ten year old Harry James Potter was a child who was really done with life. He was bitter and jaded boy, due to suffering from the daily abuse he had suffered at the hands of his 'relatives'.

Now you may ask, "Who would let a child sleep in a freaking cupboard?!"

The Dursleys. That's who.

When Harry was one and a half, he was dumped on their doorstep in 1981 by some mystery person.

When he was two his first ever question was how did his parents die. His aunt told him that they were drunks and drug junkies, one day, they were driving drunk with him in the car, they made a wrong move and the car went rolling.

That was how he got the scar on his head.

When he was three, the beatings began as soon as he began getting better grades than his stupid ass tub of lard that he was deeply ashamed to call his cousin.

Ever since he was six years old, he had had been forced to do the chores that nobody wanted to do. Mow the lawn. Clean the house. Wash the car. Prune the roses. Make the meals. Tidy the garage. Paint the door a new color.

He was also a laughing stock at primary school, his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon always forced him to wear his whale of a cousin, Dudley's old hand-me-downs which made him look scrawnier than he already was.

The fact that they always denied him food was also a great factor to Harry's scrawniness.

At school, the kids there laughed at his Sellotaped glasses, his ugly seven sizes too big clothes and his ratty sneakers.

No one ever wanted to be friends with 'that Potter boy'.

But Harry didn't mind them. He felt as if he knew that he was much more special than the so called 'average person'. Why do you think he always one upped his cousin in tests?

Harry just wanted to be free. Why was it so hard to obtain it?

Eleven year old Ron Weasley was really tired of his pitiful existence. He was always in the background. He was the sixth son of a large family that was piss poor, but still quite happy with life.

What was so remarkable about him? Anything he did, his brothers had already done.

Bill was a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts, the Goblin operated Wizarding Bank of England. And he managed to get Head Boy and Twelve O.W.L.s when he used to attend Hogwarts.

Charlie worked with Dragons all the way in Romania. And he also was made Quidditch Captain at Hogwarts back when he attended.

Percy was made a Fifth Year Gryffindor Prefect.

Even his two prankster twin brothers, Fred and George were renowned for the awesome pranks that he's heard they've committed. And they hold the record of the amount of detentions you're given at Hogwarts. 713 in just three years.

Even his baby sister Ginny had done something remarkable. And that was on the day she was born. She was the first female born into the Weasley family in fifty years!

And what did he himself do? Nothing. He wanted to make a mark to show that Ronald Weasley had been alive, that he did something awesome.

His Mum never really had time for him, like one on one. He wanted to be the one that she fawned over for once, having her full attention on him.

His Dad was always busy at work doing silly things with Muggle inventions, taking them apart and putting them back again. He was in his own world most of the time.

He just wanted to be noticed. Is that so wrong?

* * *

No one really liked the eleven year old Hermione Granger. She was what other adults would describe as antisocial or a bit...awkward. The other girls from the all girls private school she went to described her as a "Beaver faced, bookwormy weirdo".

She had been bullied ever since she started school. After trying to make friends for a whole year, she gave up and normally spent her breaks with librarian.

Her parents were the only ones who were there for her and they always made her feel better after coming home from a horrible day at school.

But when Hermione was in the second grade, she HAD made a friend with a girl name Lainey Peterson, but the resident mean girl, Delancey Humphries made sure to "save her from the ugly weirdo, Miss Chipmunk".

And it hurt Hermione greatly to watch her friend turn into one of the girls who made her life hell.

Books were Hermione's only friends now. They let her escape from reality and fall into another world. She felt the character/s' victories and their triumph and felt truly apart of the world they were in.

Hermione just wanted to belong. Is that so bad to ask for?

*

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	2. -The-One-In-Which-Everything-Changes-

**_Enjoy_** **_;)_**

**_*_**

**_-_The One In Which Everything Starts Changing-**

*****

It had been nearly two weeks since Harry had been allowed to go outside of his cupboard. It was approximately two days until he turned eleven.

Why was Harry locked up in his cupboard? Again?

Well...

It was Dudley's birthday a few weeks ago and normally, every year, Petunia and Vernon take Dudley and a friend to cool places like the theatre and amusement parks, when Harry himself had never ever been in his entire life.

He was always spending the day with Mrs Figg and was never allowed in the house alone, for fear that he may burn it down.

But this year, they had intended to leave him, it hadn't gone to plan.

Mrs Figg, the cat lady neighbour who lived across from their house, had a broken leg.

All of Aunt Petunia's friends were unavailable.

Aunt Marge , Vernon's older sister, CLEARLY hated Harry.

So, they were stuck with him.

Harry had never been so happy in his life!

But that happiness was too good to be true.

When they had spent at least an hour at the zoo, Dudley and Piers Polkiss, (Dudley's friend) had wanted to go and visit the Reptile Enclosure to go look at the large Boa Constrictor that they had on show that day.

At first it didn't move when they tapped against the glass, but after they left, Harry had begun talking to them. Boy was he surprised when it understood him!

Then...his tub of lard cousin and rat-faced friend pushed Harry out of the way, he had gotten angry, then, the glass disappeared as if it were magic!

The snake escaped while Dudley and Piers were stuck.

Somehow, his Uncle Vernon pinned all that shit on Harry.

Now he got punished with no food and would be let out tomorrow if he were really lucky.

*

Turned out, Harry actually was lucky. A strict looking woman who went by the name Minerva McGonagall had come to the Dursley home, saying that she was a witch.

And the most surprising thing was that she was here to take him of all people to get his supplies a place called Hogwarts since he was a Wizard! Him, of all people!

Uncle Vernon had pitched up a fit, saying that he was not 'a bloody wizard' at all. Vernon had even admitted that he had found his Hogwarts letter in the post and burnt it without a second thought so that Harry couldn't go.

Minerva had had it up to here with the Dursleys and put a dog tail on Dudley, before calmly asking him if he still wanted to stay with them, or stay at the Leaky Cauldron with her.

He chose Minerva of course! He'd be stupid not to!

When the woman took him to a place called Diagon Alley, she was ever so nice to him and told him the real truth about his parents.

Lily and James Potter didn't die in a car accident. Some Dark Wizard who goes by the name Lord Voldemort killed them, but was really after Harry himself.

Somehow, he was the first and only person to ever survive the green jet of the Avada Kedavra Curse. Soon, the whole Wizarding World knew him as the Boy-Who-Lived.

How could they know Harry? He's never even met any wizards besides Professor McGonagall! Harry was ready to destroy any touched up belief about him in a heartbeat.

Minerva had a proud gleam in her feline like pale green eyes when Harry voiced his opinion. The boy swore he heard her mutter:

"He's definitely their son."

After they had bought the requirements for Hogwarts, Minerva had bought Harry new clothes, saying that those "rags them filthy Muggles put you in have to go!"

The statement had left him really confused. But he didn't have enough time to ponder it before being whisked off to Madam Malkins.

Harry met a boy who went by the name of Draco Malfoy who seemed to be a bit full of himself, but thanks to staying at the Dursleys, Harry had an uncanny ability to read people's body language to tell what type of state they were in. If he was around them long enough, he could garner how their personality truly was like.

Draco seemed to be actually like him. A boy who just wanted some real friends. Harry wanted to get to know him some more...

When they left Madam Malkins with Harry's new wardrobe that was a mix of Muggle and Magical, Minerva gave her own neutral take on the Hogwarts Houses and how they worked. She never badmouthed one or the other. Ravenclaw and Slytherin really appealed to him. He wouldn't mind if he went into either really.

She informed him about all the subjects and the system they had there and what special information he needed to know.

When they had come back from Diagon Alley, Minerva had said something to the Dursleys that actually made them actually civil towards him. Just as she was about to leave, she gave him a package given to Muggle raised children that explained things from Wizarding Etiquette to how to write with a quill neatly.

The Dursleys didn't set him any tasks to do that evening and Petunia even gave him a thin smile when Vernon wasn't looking. Harry even got Dudley's second bedroom and a bed!

All in all, never had Harry had a greater time in his life.

* * *

Ron had finally gotten his Hogwarts letter.

He was so happy when the owl flew through the window and plopped the letter down into his breakfast porridge. His parents had finally shown him some attention for once!

He was complimented the whole day and got to pick what to eat for supper and dessert and Fred and George hadn't pranked him for once.

All in all, he really felt on top of the world.

* * *

Hermione Granger was stunned.

A week ago, a strict looking woman who went by the name Minerva McGonagall had come to her home, saying that she was a witch.

She was accepted into a school for Wizards and Witches (unbelievable, right?). When the woman demonstrated a piece of magic, Hermione got an excited glint in her eyes.

So that meant all those mistakes she had made in the past like changing her mother's hair to an emerald green was normal for her?

Hermione was proud that she wasn't some ordinary girl and that there were people who were like her. She really needed to straighten out her hair before September 1st!

*

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	3. -The-One-In-Which-It’s-Starts-Rocky-

_A/N: **LambdaOfTheDead**: The 'Doom is coming' feeling is supposed to pop up like batshit's underground garage! :) It may appear later in the fic or in the next one..._

_**Pteaset**: I love you :)_

_**DaCatOfAdventure**: Glad you do._

_And thank you all for having faved, followed or even just took a look at this little story of mine! :)_

_Enjoy!_

_**Notes:**_

**Thoughts**

_"Harry's Strange Voice."_

*

-**The One In Which The Relationship Starts Off Rocky-**

*

_September 1, 1991_

*

The last month for Harry had him the happiest he'd ever been. It was like something that caused the Dursleys to be so horrible to him had finally been gotten rid of. (Dudley was still a git though.)

They didn't do a complete one eighty, but it was progress. He was given proper portions of food that Aunt Petunia had made and he wasn't given any unreasonable chores anymore, but he still liked gardening.

Harry had even grown a few inches and filled out properly, no longer looking like a newly hatched baby bird. His hair had even grown a bit longer, just past his chin though. Leaving it like that made it more tamer.

If they spoke to him directly—which was rare nowadays for him—Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia actually used his name instead of 'Boy' or 'Freak'.

They mostly ignored him though which was a perfect arrangement for Harry.

Harry mostly stayed up in his bare little bedroom practicing quill writing, rereading his schoolbooks and other extra books mostly.

Recently though, to keep himself from getting bored out of his mind because he could do all the spells and such in his sleep, Harry had started experimenting with Potions he would make this year using the large Potions kit and cauldron Minerva had gotten him.

Now the day Harry Potter could finally attend Hogwarts has arrived. He couldn't wait!

Breakfast had been oddly quiet. Not an awkward quiet...It was more of a comfortable silence with everyone focused on separate things.

Petunia had given Harry two thick books without a word when they had finally reached Kings Cross. Harry was baffled, but didn't comment. The Dursleys left Harry in the sea of people and had gone to back to their car.

Now Harry looked down at the ticket he had received from Minerva as he wandered a bit, doing his best not to knock people down with his trolley.

**Platform 9 3/4? How did Minerva say you get in again? Oh yes! Go in between Platforms 9 and 10! **Harry thought to himself doing exactly just that. When the bespectacled boy had reached the aforementioned platform, he saw what could only be described as a brood of redheads.

What seemed to be the youngest boy who was about his own height (if not taller than he) appeared to be embarrassed at the noise his mother was making. She was talking about where the platform was for all the Muggles to hear! Surely she knew where it was! She had older children who had attended Hogwarts for awhile now!

She appeared to be looking for someone...Odd...

Harry shook his head in disbelief before crossing to the other side...

Harry couldn't help but gasp in wonder and astonishment. The gleaming red Hogwarts Express looked so beautiful. Parents were all around saying their goodbyes to their children, promises to write and holiday plans could be heard all around.

Harry felt a bit upset that he would probably never get the chance to have his own parents bid him farewell when he went to Hogwarts. But then again, life is life—you can get dealt with crappy cards.

The warning whistle blew and Harry quickly broke out of his musings and boarded the train. He decided against going to the back compartments due to the overwhelming majority of students who wanted to go and sit there and headed towards the front compartments where he almost immediately found one that was free.

Harry shut the door behind him and closed the curtains. Now he was stuck on how to put his trunk on the rack above the window...

A soft knock from the door sounded. Harry's heart almost skipped a beat. Someone was by the door!

"Come in..."Harry called out. **(I just realised that was the first bit of dialogue in the book... I can't even...)**

The door slid open and there stood that redheaded boy he had seen. The embarrassed one. His clothes were a bit faded and his hair messy like Harry's was but on a smaller scale.

"Hullo,"the boy greeted. "My name's Ron Weasley... I hope you don't mind me sitting here, but I didn't want to be alone the whole train ride..."he ended off awkwardly.

Harry smiled, understanding Ron's predicament. He was honestly glad someone wanted to sit with him. He hoped that he and Ron could end up as friends...

"No! No, it's okay. I understand you. You can sit with me,"Harry said. "But I need to find away to put my trunk up because it's too heavy."

"I can help you!"Ron said.

Harry gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks. Then I can help you."

The two only took a short time to get the trunks onto the rack before dropping onto the seats, relaxing.

Before Harry could even introduce himself, someone else had come in. It was that Malfoy boy. He had come with two other boys. One boy was as tall as Ron with caramel skin, curly black hair and the most unusual purple eyes. The other was shorter with straight, chestnut brown hair and sea blue eyes with extremely pale skin, but not as pale as Malfoy's.

"I heard that Harry Potter was on the train,"Draco stayed smoothly. "Have you seen him?" Harry hadn't had the chance to introduce himself at Madam Malkins before Minerva had whisked him off to some other place.

Harry leant back into the chair, arms folded. His face remained blank.

"Who's asking?"he asked coolly.

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Ron couldn't help but snort at that. Draco turned his his full attention to the snickering redhead. His delicate elfin features went and turned into an ugly sneer.

"You think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who YOU are. Red hair and hand-me-down robes?You must be a Weasley..."he hissed.

Ron flushed a deep red, his mouth open to retort. Before he could say something that would truly damage the chances of being friends, Harry stepped in.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! All of you—slow your roll. No need to get your panties in a twist!"Harry shushed, stepping in between both Ron and Draco who were basically glaring daggers at each other.

"B-But he insulted me!"Ron whined.

"He laughed at me!"Draco complained.

"Ronald, say sorry. You know shouldn't have laughed..."Harry ordered sternly.

"But—!"

"_Ron_,"Harry said with a strange ring in his voice that only made Ronald only want to obey him.

Ron huffed. "I'm sorry for laughing, Malfoy..."he mumbled reluctantly.

Draco smirked. Harry raised his eyebrows and and pursed his lips.

"Don't think you're off the hook either, Draco. You were also in the wrong,"Harry ordered. "_Apologise_,"he ordered again with the power laced voice.

Draco's face fell fast. The two boys behind him looked like they wanted to burst out laughing.

"No! I don't even know who you are. You can't tell me what to do,"the blond snarled. "You aren't my superior!"

Everyone did a double-take when they saw Harry growl, his canines elongate and his his iris turn a pitch black. Draco shrunk into himself and whimpered.

"_Do not make me angry. I am merely annoyed with your stubbornness when you—and everyone in this compartment—knows that you're WRONG. I will not ask you again after this. Apologise_,"Harry ordered.

"I'm sorry for disrespecting you, Weasley..."Draco said.

Harry went back to normal and stared at nothing, very confused. What the two boys did didn't deserve such an overreaction...Where did it even come from.

He coughed before smirking. "Much better. Why don't we try this again and reintroduce ourselves, yes?"

"Of course,"came the simultaneous reply.

"Who wants to go first?"Harry asked pleasantly.

The caramel skinned boy picked up a hand. Harry nodded for him to continue.

"Hello. My name is Blaise Zabini..."he said awkwardly.

"I'm next. Theodore Nott. You can call me 'Theo',"the brunette said shyly.

"I'm Draco Malfoy,"the blond said neutrally.

"Ron Weasley!"Ron said with a grin.

"And I'm Harry Potter,"Harry introduced himself. Ron and Draco were shocked (Draco hid it better) while Blaise shrugged and Theo arched an eyebrow.

"Blimey!"Ron exclaimed. "Do you have the scar?"he blurted out.

Draco gave the redhead a sideways glance.

"That's a bit rude, don't you think? Asking someone to mostly likely relive their past..."he chided.

Ron blushed a bright red. "Sorry. I was just excited. I've heard stories—,"he began before he was cut off by an irritated Harry.

"Stories that aren't true. Just forget about whatever you've been told about me since it's all probably not true!"he growled.

"Uh...okay...I'll do that,"Ron said with uncertainty.

The compartment fell into an awkward silence. Suddenly another knock was heard on the door.

"Come in,"Harry called. A girl with tied up straight honey brown hair, lightly tanned skin and cinnamon coloured eyes walked in with a teary eyed boy who had dark mousy hair, pale skin and chocolate brown eyes and a wavy dark redhaired girl with alabaster skin and bright blue eyes. All three wore the Hogwarts uniform when there were still a few hours before reaching the school.

"Hello,"she greeted with a smile. "My name is Hermione Granger. I'm asking if you have seen a toad by any chance? Neville here lost one and Susan and I are helping him look for it..."

"No,"Harry said. "Haven't you tried to ask a Prefect to _Accio_ the toad for you?"

"_Accio_? Isn't that a Fourth Year spell?"Susan asked. "My Auntie told me about it..."

"Yes, I got other books in Diagon Alley so that when I got bored of my textbooks, I could read those..."

"How could you get bored of your textbooks?"Hermione asked incredulously. "I reread mine!"

"And I haven't even started them..."Ron mumbled.

"Me neither..."Blaise muttered back.

Theo snorted while Draco snickered.

"I just do,"Harry replied simply.

Hermione made an indignant noise. Harry couldn't help but smile.

"My name's Harry Potter by the way—"he told her but she cut him off.

"You're _Harry Potter_? I know all about you! I heard that you defeated You-Know-Who back in 1981–!"

"You don't—!"

"And you were only a year old!"Hermione carried on without hearing him. "Did you know—?"

"Granger—!"Blaise cut in yet he too was ignored.

"—you were the the only person to survive the Avada Kedavra Curse? That's amazing! How did you do it?"she gushed.

"I don't know and want to. Please leave..."Harry asked her tonelessly.

"Yes, please do leave, little Mudblood! You're upsetting him!"Draco said nastily.

* * *

Hermione knew an insult when she heard one. She had done it again! She was too—too spontaneous and now she probably won't have any friends yet _again. _Susan and Neville had been looking for his toad and she had forcibly thrown herself into the group. The two were too nice to say anything. She didn't want to sit a compartment all on her own...

No. She wouldn't cry in front of them. Especially that blond boy.

"If that's what you want, then okay..."

She took off at a fast pace, not hearing the cries for her to come back.

* * *

"Draco! Seriously, why did you have to go and upset her like that?"Harry scolded him when he had come back into the compartment after losing sight of Hermione. There he goes again, being rude and chasing people away... He didn't really mean to be horrible to her.

"She has what we Wizards would call 'dirty blood'. She is near the bottom of the hierarchy. You should stay with those higher up,"the blond boy told him simply.

"The kinder term is 'Muggleborn', Draco. You don't know if she is one!"Theo scolded him.

"Your father told you to stop with this 'Mudblood' business, Malfoy. Should I go and send a letter?"Blaise asked him sweetly.

"N-No!"Draco stuttered, terrified of his father. "Please don't!"

"That was mean, really! You can't just insult people like that, Malfoy!"Ron spat.

"True! When we reach Hogwarts you are going to apologise to Hermione!"Harry said.

Susan and Neville decided to walk out before the heat became too much between the four boys.

"Fine. Whatever..."he mumbled. **Even if I don't see a reason too. **he thought sulkily.

"Good,"Harry said. "We should be getting dressed. We're almost there."

_

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	4. -The-One-In-Which-They-Better-Be-Pt1

**_NOTES:_**

_"Conversation between student and Sorting Hat_"

**Thoughts**

_*~*~*Flashbacks*~*~*_

_*_

_ENJOY _

**_*_**

**_-The_** **_One In Which They Better Be...-_**

**_(Part One)_**

**_*_**

It was already dark when the train reached the Hogsmeade Station.

All the first years followed a giant man named Hagrid who was ushering them to the boathouse to do the traditional boat riding to the castle.

"Four ter a boat!"he boomed happily.

Now here was the problem. There were _five_ of them and they all wanted to be together...

What to do? What to do?

Harry just shrugged and clambered into a boat. Ron beat everyone else to the punch. Draco narrowed his eyes and jumped in, making it shake uncontrollably for awhile.

Theo rolled his eyes. "I'll be the bigger person here and I'll go and ride with Pansy, Tracey and Daphne,"he said before going off.

Blaise smirked and got in.

* * *

Hogwarts was stunning like Hermione knew that it would be. When she had left Harry's compartment, a blond haired girl who went by the name of Daphne Greengrass invited her to sit with her 'friends'. The other girls were a black short haired girl with chocolate eyes and a pug-like face named Pansy Parkinson and a girl with chestnut brown hair tied into two long plaits and Tracey Davis.

They had been nice enough, but the Parkinson girl still didn't sit well with Hermione. She had kept quiet when she had mentioned her surname, but had pursed her lips as if to hold herself from saying something she would regret.

Hermione figured that they would butt heads from time to time...

Daphne was more reserved and let Pansy jabber away about girlish things and the like that Hermione became bored listening to. She saw that Daphne liked sports more and told her about a game called 'Quidditch'. It would be interesting to see a match.

Tracey was somewhere in between the fence. She liked things that Hermione did and she liked a lot of the glitz and glamor that Pansy did but would prefer Quidditch any day too like Daphne.

Now as the rode the boats, Daphne wouldn't stop scaring Pansy. The brown haired boy from Harry's compartment had shown up earlier only to find no space for him.

"Now it's time to go and sit with Terry and Ernie. Merlin's dirty underwear, those guys are pricks..."he murmured before leaving with a grin.

"You know, Pansy... I heard that the Giant Squid in the Black Lake is fed children when they get a detention too many—or just 'cause the Professors are bored. Maybe they'll feed you to it! Oh dear! You are nice and plump..."she hissed.

"Shut up! You know that's not true...Right, Trace?"Pansy squeaked uncertainly.

Tracey and Daphne shared a malicious glance.

"Oh, I don't know...My father told me that there used to be some Slytherin boy who went by the name of Tim Roddle or Tom Riddle—something like that—who was the best student Hogwarts had and then people got jealous.

There were these boys who were his classmates who went to go and kidnap him then chop him up like a Swiss Roll and dumped him in the Lake where McSquidders had the best meal of his life!"she said seriously. She turned to Hermione and elbowed her softly to carry on with the game.

Hermione jumped in surprise, not expecting to be included.

"I read that in _**Hogwarts: A History**__**! **_They say that the only thing left of poor Tim—Tom—whatever, were his _bones_,"Hermione whispered sinisterly, lying through her teeth and enjoying every moment as Pansy's facial expression got more fearful. "And they say that in the dorms you may find...this little black book with his name on it...People who've opened it are never. The. Same. AGAIN!"she ended of dramatically.

Pansy shrieked. "I knew I should have gone to Beaubaxtons! I _told_ my father that Hogwarts was freaky! Too many ghosts! Spiderwebs! Mud—!"

"Pan-Pan, we're just JOKING! Calm down!"Daphne giggled.

"You should have seen your face!"Tracey said in between her own giggles. "It was hilarious, wasn't it, Hermione?"

Hermione was surprised. This was actually the first time she could actually laugh _with_ other girls and not be laughed _at_ instead. It made her feel warm...

"Yes, it really was!"she replied.

"I don't like any of you anymore!"Pansy said with a pout.

"Thank you, Pansy,"Tracey said. "I am _so_ deeply offended. NOT!"

* * *

"Come along children, the Sorting Ceremony is about to start,"Minerva McGonagall said to the stressed out First Years. She ushered them to get them outside of the Great Hall.

"Before we go in, I have a few words for you all,"she said. "Hogwarts is meant to be your home away from home and the House you get Sorted into, your family. Like you do with family, don't be afraid to ask for help, there is always someone there to assist you with anything. You get rewarded House Points when you do commendable acts and get them docked off for unsavoury ones. At the End-Of-Year feast, the House Cup is awarded to the House with the most points, counted by using hourglasses that you will see in the Hall..."she ended off. "Now, let's get you all Sorted."

The large doors opened up to show lots of students that made the First Years feel so small and a tad bit fearful as many eyes followed them as they traveled down the middle aisle that lead to a ratty old hat on a rickety stool.

Harry shivered as he remembered the same type of stool that he Dursleys made him use until he was seven to cook for them...They had hoped that it would break and he would get injured...

He stared warily at the stool in front of the Professors' Table.

A man with a stark white beard who sat in the middle suddenly stood up and smiled at everyone, his intense blue twinkling eyes shining at everyone. He had jovial smile that made the hairs on Harry's neck stand straight up. He was the Headmaster, the renowned Albus Dumbledore.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! We yet again say hello to new faces and a welcome back to the old. A few notices for the year..."the old man said in a cheery voice. "The Forbidden Forest is still banned to _everyone_. Do not venture there if you wish to live a very long life. Do not visit the third floor corridor if you do not wish die a most painful death!"he said. Then he frowned as if trying to remember something. "Oh, Mr Filch also has added new prank items on his list that are banned from Hogwarts!" He looked straight ahead to Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George who stood up and bowed.

Harry and the others just shook their heads. The way the man was speaking was as if he actually _wanted_ them to go and do these foolish things. Thanks, but no thanks. They all rather live to old age!

The man sat down and the ratty hat seemed to come to life and started to sing a song.

"_**Oh you may not think I'm pretty,**_

_**But don't judge on what you see,**_

_**I'll eat myself if you can find**_

_**A smarter hat than me.**_

_**You can keep your bowlers black,**_

_**Your top hats sleek and tall,**_

_**For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat**_

_**And I can cap them all.**_

_**There's nothing hidden in your head**_

_**The Sorting Hat can't see,**_

_**So try me on and I will tell you**_

_**Where you ought to be.**_

_**You might belong in Gryffindor,**_

_**Where dwell the brave at heart,**_

_**Their daring, nerve, and chivalry**_

_**Set Gryffindors apart;**_

_**You might belong in Hufflepuff,**_

_**Where they are just and loyal,**_

_**Those patient Hufflepuffs are true**_

_**And unafraid of toil;**_

_**Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,**_

_**if you've a ready mind,**_

_**Where those of wit and learning,**_

_**Will always find their kind;**_

_**Or perhaps in Slytherin**_

_**You'll make your real friends,**_

_**Those cunning folks use any means**_

_**To achieve their ends.**_

_**So put me on! Don't be afraid!**_

_**And don't get in a flap!**_

_**You're in safe hands (though I have none)**_

_**For I'm a Thinking Cap!"**_

_**—Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1991)—**_

Everyone clapped loudly for the surprisingly pleasant and catchy song.

"Let the Sorting begin!"the Hat yelled for everyone to hear.

Minerva had walked up the stairs to stand on the platform the chair was.

She unfolded a scroll and cleared her throat.

"Abbott, Hannah!"she called out. A tiny girl with light blond hair put into two pigtails walked up nervously. Minerva simply put the Hat on her head to cover her eyes. Not even a minute later, the hole in the Hat yelled:

"HUFFLEPUFF!"raucous clapping was heard from the yellow table.

The First Years were shocked. They thought that they would have to something pretty difficult to help determine their House. Ron had made it worse by saying that they would have to fight a troll. Another girl by the name of Meg Jones said that it would end up like that Hunger Games trilogy, effectively confusing the Magically brought up children and scaring the Muggle raised ones.

The next person was called up.

"Bones, Susan!"

The tall red haired girl walked up confidently, her face blank.

After a few seconds the Hat called

"HUFFLEPUFF!"for all to hear and the Hufflepuff table clapped for their second new addition as her Hogwarts Crest turned to the Hufflepuff one like Hannah's had.

"Boot, Terrence!" went to Ravenclaw. He looked pale as paper when it was turn.

It went on like that for some time until it was Tracey's turned.

* * *

Hermione hoped that she could end up in the same House as her since she seemed to like her more than Daphne.

"Davis, Tracey!"

"SLYTHERIN!"the Hat called.

The Gryffindor table clapped reluctantly while the others clapped loudly but the Slytherins with a more polite tone to theirs.

Tracey smirked a bit as she went to the table.

After a few more people one of the people we actually care about here was about to be Sorted.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione bit her bottom lip and took a calming breath before walking up to the Hat. She sat on the tiny stool and the ragged hat covered her eyes. She could FEEL the gazes of everyone staring at her.

"_Hello? Is there anybody here?_"she called out mentally, instantly feeling very silly.

"_Hello, Miss Granger..._"a voice replied kindly.

"_Who are you? What are you? Why do you exist?_"Hermione asked at a rapid pace. She feeling overly curious. Did a simple voice of all things determine the fate of her school-life?

"_Well yes, but actually no. I'm not 'just a voice'. Like I had told you before if you actually bothered to pay attention to my songs—it's not like I spend a whooole YEAR composing it—then you'd see that I am indeed a Sorting Hat! Whipped off the head of Godric Gryffindor himself to Sort the students when the four founders had finally passed,_"The Hat stated.

"_Oh, that sounds very interesting. You're actually over a THOUSAND YEARS old! That's simply amazing!_"Hermione commented.

"_Very. You have the thirst for knowledge like a Ravenclaw...but you will be hindered in that House for in the future your tastes will change in a way too incompatible with the House of Bronze and Blue. You think more deeply than they do and you understand how it feels to be hurt. You do have the loyalty of Hufflepuff, but the people there are just too wrong for you...So where to put you? You are as fierce as a lioness, but you like tranquility and that House will drive you insane. You will end up being somewhat of a pariah in the end. I cannot do that to you, no matter how others want it to be...Slytherin is where you'll make your true friends, my dear. You will achieve great things there...You'll already know how this will go, Miss Granger!_"the Hat said with a small chuckle.

"_Yes. I can't wait!_"Hermione exclaimed, liking the sound of Slytherin more and more.

"You better be...SLYTHERIN!"the Hat yelled.

The white bearded Headmaster looked like he was going to choke on something. The students weren't much better either. A Muggleborn in SLYTHERIN?! That's never happened before!

The Slytherin Table was a bit too shocked to clap properly. How can someone of such dirty blood belong to their pure House? That cannot be! Then that means that she may actually have some potential...

Tracey glanced around the Hall before yelling:

"Go Granger! Show them!"and she started to clap. Harry and his own little crew started to clap too, prompting the rest of the First Years to join in with the rest of the school.

Hermione smiled faintly before sitting next to an open space that Tracey had left for her.

When she sat down, the girl whispered in her her ear:

"This is going to the start of a beautiful friendship!"

**Friendship?** Hermione thought to herself in wonder. **Is this what being 'friends' with someone actually feels like? If so, it feels...nice.**

* * *

"Greengrass, Daphne!"Minerva called.

"SLYTHERIN!"

And the names kept on coming until—

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Draco sat on the chair. The Hat barely touched a hair on his gelled, platinum blond hair before yelling:

"SLYTHERIN!"

Draco smirked widely as he made his way to the table.

After Theo and Pansy had been sorted into Slytherin and Perks, Sally-Anne into Hufflepuff, it was FINALLY Harry's turn.

Minerva couldn't help herself. She bit the inside of her cheeks to stop herself from grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Mr Potter would surely shake up the boring life at Hogwarts for her. She had to admit that she looked forward to it. Knowing what she did, of course.

"Potter, Harry!"she called with barely held back glee.

Everyone in the Great Hall went silent. They watched as the boy who looked a bit too different from James Potter walked up. The Headmaster's blue eyes widened in shock as he registered who he looked like.

But he had declared dead! There's no way that he could be Harry's father...Weren't Lily and James married when they had Harry? What was going on?

Harry walked up as if he seemed indifferent to all the stares and whispers around him. He even seemed to go as far as appearing..._bored_ with everything.

Internally, he was almost close to having a panic attack. He may seem childish or something but that chair really brought back bad memories. The room almost seemed to spin wildly while his heart kept on beating at a very fast pace. Harry really didn't like this claustrophobic feeling. It was like he was locked up again, back in his tiny cupboard under the stairs...

_*~*~*Flashbacks: Harry, age 7*~*~*_

**(Non-Graphic Beating)**

_It was an awful day for Harry. Petunia and Vernon were going to have guests over for an important dinner party. Harry had been making the house look spotless while Petunia and Vernon treated him worse than they usually do. _

_He was so thirsty and very, very hungry. He had used up what little energy he had following all the strenuous instructions he had been given. Currently, Harry was salivating at the smell of the roast chicken that was in the oven. He sat on his rickety stool in front of the oven after he had tidied everything away. He was finally going to get something to eat!_

_Harry didn't realise that his emerald orbs were drooping and before he knew it, the tiny little boy snoring lightly as he used his thin hands to act as a makeshift pillow._

_The roast chicken had been burnt, yet little Harry still slept on._

_Vernon had heard the smoke detector beeping and sort of ran in a weird fashion to get to the kitchen. His face turned an ugly puce as he watched Harry sleeping soundly for a second before stomping to the drawers and took out a wooden rolling pin. _

_He beat Harry awake using the pin, aiming for only his arms and sides. The boy cried out in pain._

_"Why did you fall asleep, Freak?!"Vernon bellowed angrily. He had ceased the repetitive strikes after deeming Harry 'awake enough'. "How dare you burn the food! Now it's all wasted. Take it out of the oven and prepare a new one! Do not even think that you'll go to sleep with a meal today! After all we've done for you, you disgusting little brat, you do this?!"_

_Tears flowed down Harry's face as he watched his uncle. _

_"I'm sorry, Uncle Vernon! I didn't mean to! I-I was s-s-so tired and—and I didn't know I feel asleep!"he sobbed. He held his sore arms closer to him as he looked up at pig-like man. _

_"Save it, you little Freak. It's always your fault!"_

_*~*~*Flashback End*~*~*_

Harry's emerald eyes widened as he sat down on the stool hesitantly. When the Hat covered his eyes, he held back a small scream.

"_I don't like this. I REALLY don't like this. Idontlikethisidontlikethisidontidontdont _—"Harry thought in panic before a gentle voice soothed him.

"_Hush now, child..._"It said.

"_Who are you_?"Harry asked nervously.

"_The Sorting Hat, of course_,"the Hat replied simply.

Harry frowned. "_Don't you have a name? It would be pretty dumb to call you Sorting Hat or Sorting or even just Hat."_

The Hat chuckled softly before replying to him.

"_Yes, I do, Mr Potter. I am Alistair. Now with those introductions done, please do keep silent as I look through your head..."_

Harry growled at that. "_What's in my head is private stuff that I wish not to share with ANYONE! Things that I don't want getting out and having people have pity on me! Get out._"Harry ordered angrily.

"_No need to get like that, Mr Potter! I promise no one outside you and I will know of this...It is essential that I analyse your whole true personality to choose your House. Trust me, Mr Potter."_

Harry deflated a bit. The rest of the school were basically on the edge of their seats, wondering what was taking the Hat so long.

"_Fine. But if you do tell anyone what you know about me, I'll burn you somehow..._"Harry threatened.

The Hat made an indignant noise. "_So much like the other boy. You two would have been formidable together..._"it murmured wistfully.

_"Who now?_"Harry asked incredulously.

_"No one important for me to tell you about..._"Alistair replied evenly. "_Now where to put you? The Hufflepuffs are out. You have an alternative version of loyalty and you would be done with them within a week! Ravenclaw would irritate you as being there wouldn't let you explore your full potential. So it's out. _

_Gryffindor...It wouldn't be too bad since you do meet some of the requirements, but you would be moulded into someone who you were never meant to be, always having to live up to difficult expectations...No. Slytherin is where you truly belong. You would do great things Harry Potter and Slytherin would help you there. You aren't afraid of using slight underhanded tactics to reach your goals. You were meant to make a change in this world, but just not the way certain people want it..._

...so you better be... SLYTHERIN!"

"WE GOT POT—Wait, WHAT?"the Weasley Twins yelled from the table which they stood on.

*

_3261 words? Longest chapter yet!_

_How can I improve?_

_Was the flashback unrealistic? If so, tell me so that I can work on it... :)_

_Thanks for all the faves and follows! It means a lot ;)_

_Please review. It only takes thirty seconds...of your life._


	5. -The-One-In-Which-They-Better-Be-Pt2

**_Notes:_**

_"Quotes while talking to Hat"_

_Thanks for the reviews, faves and follows:)_

**_*_**

**_-_The One In Which They Better Be...(Part 2)-**

**_*_**

**_Previously on TDT:_**

**_Gryffindor...It wouldn't be too bad since you do meet some of the requirements, but you would be moulded into someone who you were never meant to be, always having to live up to difficult expectations...No. Slytherin is where you truly belong. You would do great things Harry Potter and Slytherin would help you there. You aren't afraid of using slight underhanded tactics to reach your goals. You were meant to make a change in this world, but just not the way certain people want it..._**

**_...so you better be... SLYTHERIN!"_**

**_"WE GOT POT—Wait, WHAT?"the Weasley Twins yelled from the table which they stood on. _**

*

_NOW_

*

Harry didn't like the way that everyone was staring at him. He hadn't even been at Hogwarts for even a day and already everyone hated him. Maybe his Uncle Vernon had been right.

It always was his fault.

Harry bit his the inside of his cheek hard enough to start drawing blood before staring straight ahead and sitting in the space Draco had left for him between him and Theo.

Harry blushed slightly before ducking his head a little bit as he tried to ignore the piercing stares and the hurtful murmurs of the other Houses in the Great Hall.

Harry felt a delicate hand gently squeeze his own under the table and he looked into the eyes feline like, tired eyes of Theo Nott shining brightly at him.

"Don't worry. It'll get better,"the brunette whispered softly to him before letting go and turning his attention back to the Sorting.

Harry felt weird. The only times someone had willingly touched him was to only hit him or throw him into his cupboard under the stairs or to just give him a hit. He blushed lightly and faced the front of the Hall, not noticing a pair of angry narrowed eyes staring at the hand Theo touched before basically boring holes into said boy's head.

*

Ron was getting too fidgety now. With Harry in Slytherin, what was he going to do? He couldn't be friends with any of the others because he was at risk of being practically disowned by his family.

The Weasley were firmly on the Light Side. They normally frowned upon what was deemed Dark and they never even wanted to be associated with anything concerning that subject. He saw the way his father's face would scrunch up whenever he spoke of so and so or maybe something had happened at work.

Ron's mother was worse because she would rant a lot about other things and she always would insert a scathing comment or two when his father ever spoke of anything like that and she would never even let him walk anywhere a 'Dark' family every time they were in Diagon Alley.

"_Merlin forbid any of you get Sorted into Slytherin!__"_Mrs Weasley had told Fred and George before they left for Hogwarts.

"_Those snakes would poison your precious minds with their disgusting lies!"_

_"If you ever went into that House, Ronnie—I'd have a heart attack! I wouldn't believe that I raised you!"_

Imagine. That was the last thing his mother had ever said to him. He didn't want to be a disappointment to his family...

Now his name was coming up soon and Ron was ready to pass out on the floor right then and there. The redhead began to bite off the skin of his dried lips subconsciously in his worry.

"Smith, Zacharias!"Professor McGonagall called.

A smug looking blond haired boy went and sat on the stool.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"the Hat yelled before messing up a hair on the boy's head.

"Thomas, Dean!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"the Hat shouted.

There were only three First Years left. A small pale girl with steely grey eyes and raven hair held in pigtails, Blaise and Ron himself were left.

"Turpin, Lisa!"Professor McGonagall called.

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Weasley, Ronald!"Professor McGonagall called. Ron's heart was ready to burst out of his chest. He shakily walked up to the platform and met the curious (Percy) or amused (Fred and George) gazes of his three older brothers.

Ron made an almost inaudible squeak as the Hat covered his eyes.

"_Yet ANOTHER Weasley? How many of you are there then?_"the Hat asked Ron incredulously.

"_Just one left_,"Ron blurted out internally.

The Hat chuckled. "_You have a good mind, you know, Mr Weasley._"It said after a moment of silence.

_"What do you mean? I'm no one special, really...I'm always the one in the background, always overlooked while others favour my siblings. There's nothing I can do that my at least **one** of my hasn't done already. I just can't get anyone to pay attention to me for long. Then I get criticised too. "Ronald! Why can't you be more Bill? Or Charlie? Or Percy?" or maybe "Eating like that yet again, Ron? Tsk, Tsk! How can you get a nice girl to date YOU if you eat like a piglet?" Or there was a really mean comment from Ginny one time when she lost a game of chess to me... I shouldn't have let it get to me**. ****"You know, Ron, playing chess is stupid because it won't help you get a job with your dumb brain! You're just gonna be a dummy forever!"** one time when I was five, Fred and George almost tricked me into doing an Unbreakable Vow..._

_When Dad caught us, Fred and George lied to Dad to get themselves out of trouble and told him that I found some spell in one of Bill's books and I told them to perform it with me! They got off scot free while I was the one who got the biggest scolding in the history of scoldings! But I don't even understand why Mum and Dad didn't want to hear me out! I was always interrupted when I tried to tell them what actually happened but they shut me down every time. I was stuck with de-gnoming the yard for two hours AND I was grounded for a month!The scary part is...they don't even show this side of them when we're out in public..."_

"_That is preposterous! How could they do that to you? From what I can see in this head of yours, you're very unique indeed, Ron Weasley! With others to help push you to your full potential, you'll go places dear boy. Now Gryffindor is DEFINITELY out!_"the Hat murmured.

"_But you have to! All of my family have been in that House! Please! Put me in there, I beg you! Please..._"Ron pleaded with the Hat. The boy was actually ready to cry.

"_I'm sorry Ronald. Trust me on this, where I put you will help you flourish and will keep you out of your family's grasp. Trust me please..._"

Ron was silent for a long time.

*

Everyone in the Hall was getting more curious as the Hat didn't shout out Gryffindor straight away. What was going on in there?

*

"_...Fine. Just don't tell me now. Surprise me,_"he replied to the Hat dejectedly.

"You better be... SLYTHERIN!"the Hat yelled.

The silence in the Great Hall was palpable. The Slytherins were shocked even more as they clapped for Ron. The only House that didn't clap was Gryffindor. Only three did and that was Percy, Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas.

Ron shakily got off the stool and his skin paled making his freckles and fearful eyes stand out. He just about passed out as his tie and crest turned to the sliver and emerald green theme of Slytherin House.

He walked almost mechanically to the table. Ron chanced a look at the Gryffindor Table. What he saw made him wish a hole would just appear and suck him into the ground, never to be heard of again.

The twins stared wide eyed at their brother and whispered :

"Mum's going to kill you!"

Ron walked faster and sat down next to Draco's other side and ducked his head, not willing to look up anymore.

Finally Blaise was Sorted into Slytherin.

The Headmaster stood up from his table and began to speak.

"Dig in!"he said with a smile before the food appeared on the gold plates looking so mouthwatering and smelling so delicious.

Ron had lost his appetite.

*

1385 words

*

**Shorter than normal, sorry! But it's important. **

**Did I go overboard? Please review if so :)**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!**

** (glitter bomb)**

**1/1/2020**


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